The Copacabana was a New York City nightclub where showgirls, jet setters, stars of the silver screen, and regular folks in town from Joisey danced the merengue under swirling disco balls and glowing plastic palm trees. Here’s a taste of the Copa in this video starring Carmen Miranda and Groucho Marx. The year? 1947. And then on to the Foo Fighters!
Barry Manilow’s song Copacabana is named after and set in the Copa whose entertainers included Frank Sinatra, Jerry Lewis and Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., The Supremes, Sam Cooke and salsa legend Willie Colon. Manilow’s other hits include Could It Be Magic, Mandy, I Write the Songs, Can’t Smile Without You and My Eyes Adored You.
Now let’s fast-forward to 2021 and Dave Grohl, who rose to fame as the drummer for the grunge band Nirvana. He went on to create the alternative rock band Foo Fighters for which he is the lead singer, a guitarist, and its primary songwriter. Grohl’s Hanukkah Sessions this past year included an amazing performance of what many people call Manilow’s greatest hit. Ladies and gentlegermies, here’s Dave Grohl and one or two Foo Fighters at the Copa!
Lola’s Tragic Yet Glamorous Story
Her name was Lola, she was a showgirl
With yellow feathers in her hair and a dress cut down to there
She would merengue and do the cha-cha
And while she tried to be a star
Tony always tended bar
Across the crowded floor, they worked from eight til four
They were young and they had each other
Who could ask for more?
At the Copa (co) Copacabana (Copacabana)
The hottest spot north of Havana (here)
At the Copa (co) Copacabana
Music and passion were always the fashion
At the Copa they fell in love
Copa, Copacabana
His name was Rico
He wore a diamond
He was escorted to his chair, he saw Lola dancing there
And when she finished, he called her over
But Rico went a bit too far
Tony sailed across the bar
And then the punches flew and chairs were smashed in two
There was blood and a single gunshot
But just who shot who?
At the Copa (co) Copacabana (Copacabana)
The hottest spot north of Havana (here)
At the Copa (co) Copacabana
Music and passion were always the fashion
At the Copa, she lost her love
(Copa, Copacabana)
(Copa, Copacabana)
(Copacabana)
Like in Havana
(Copa, banana)
Music and passion were always in fashion
Her name is Lola, she was a showgirl
But that was thirty years ago, when they used to have a show
Now it’s a disco, but not for Lola
Still in dress she used to wear
Faded feathers in her hair
She sits there so refined, and drinks herself half-blind
She lost her youth and she lost her Tony
Now she’s lost her mind
At the Copa (co) Copacabana (Copacabana)
The hottest spot north of Havana (here)
At the Copa (co) Copacabana
Music and passion were always in fashion
At the Copa don’t fall in love
don’t fall in love
(Copacabana)
(Copacabana)
Want more dancing? Check out these links and dance like your life depends on it! Start with She’s a Maniac© And What a Music Video! If you’re not too exhausted, try this one: I’m So Excited!..Your Best Dance Video©
Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: Barry Manilow / Bruce H. Sussman / Jack A. Feldman
Copacabana (At the Copa) – 1985 lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
With thanks to Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia anyone can edit!
And thanks to Dave Grohl and the Foo Fighters. Long may you reign supreme!
